James mccrodden



(No Model.)

J. 'MGCRODDEN PACKAGE TRAY. No. 263,556. Patented Aug. 29, 1882.l

NITEl STATES 'JAMES MocnoDDEN,

OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

PAC KAG E-TRAY.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 263,556, dated August 29, 1882.

Application filed July 10, 1882. (No model.)

To all whom fit may concern:

Be it known that I,'JAMEs MCGRODDEN, of the city, county, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Package-Trays, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, forming a part of the same.

M yinvention relates to receptacles which are used for carrying and handling boxes or packages, and it especially relates to those receptacles (generally called trays 7) which are used for handlinga number of small packages while being lled and sealed, particularly when such trays are used in connection with a machine adapted to automaticallyllthe packages; and my invention consists in a tray provided with suitable means for supporting the empty boxes or packages and retaining them in proper position while being filled and sealed, and having aremovable bottom or base upon which the packages rest and upon which they are removed from the tray.

In the drawings, Figure l is a top or plan view of my improved tray, Fig. 2 being a side or elevation view; and Fig. 3, a sectional view on plane ma: of Fig. 1, looking toward the left.

The letter A represents the tray, which contains the packages to be charged.

B B are division-bars, which are notched and arranged relatively to each other so as to form the separatepackage-compartments C. These bars B rest upon thesupporting-strips D, which are fastened to the under side of the ends of the tray A. This tray rests upon the bed or bottom E, which preferably is made of sheet metal, and is provided with two handles, e c, on both sides thereof. These handles tit in the recesses c c in the sides of the tray, so as to be flush with suehsides, and are just below the grip-holes a at of the tray.

rlhe empty boxes or packages, entirely closed except as to their upperends, are placedin the compartments C and rest upon the bottom E ofthe tray, and the bars B, which support and keep the packages separated, are locked. in position by the thumb-screw F. The packages are then charged with any desired substance, either by hand or automatically, and the open ends thereof closed and sealed.

Whenever it is necessaryto transfer the trays containing the packages from place to place.or,duringtheprocessofautomaticlling, toandfrom thetilling-machine,theyaregrasped by the handles e c on the removable bottom E, and thus the whole tray and its contents are readily handled. When, however, it is desired to empty the tray, it is grasped by the gripholes ac in its sides, the thumb-screw F having been loosened to relax the elampin g action of the bars B upon the packagesand lifted from oft' its removable bottom, leaving the filled packages still resting on such bottoni, from which they are readily removed to the packing-boxes.

With theexception of the removable bottom, trays of substantially the same construction and for the same purpose as set forth in the foregoing description have hitherto been used; but their use was attended with no little inconvenience, because if the tray, when filled, were lifted some of the packages would fall out, thus spilling and wasting their contents.

This necessitated the use of a track or bed leading from the illing-machine, upon which the lled trays could move, and required the provision of some support to take the place of the bed of the lling-maehine, upon which they could rest till emptied. Trays having removable bottoms can, however, be handled and removed from the filling-machine or from place to place,it' desired, in less time and more easily than by the means heretofore employed.

What is claimed as new isl. A tray arranged to contain and support packages while being filled, and provided with a removable bottom, substantially as and for the purpose described.

2. In combination with a tray for containing and supporting packages while being filled JAMES MOOR() DD EN.

Witnesses R. F. GAYLORD, ROB. H. DUNCAN. 

